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H. L. PHELPS MACHINE FORISBWING BUTTONS T0 FABRICS. No. 268,930.Patented Dec. 12,1882;

N. PEYERS. PhowLimo m hen \Vaihinglan. D. c.

, i iJNiTED STATES: PATENT I' to Various Articles,

aspecification.

tion, in a button-sewing machine, port for the article to which a buttonis to be HERBERT L. PHELPS, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MA-CHINE GOMPANY, OF TROY, N. Y. i

SPEGIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 268,930, dated December12, 1882.

Application filed June 19,t1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT L. PHELPS, of New York, in the county andState of New York, have invented a certain new and useful- Improvementin Machines for Sewing Buttons of which the following is The improvementconsists in the combinawith a supsewed, of a device adapted to bebrought down upon the article and to serve as a presser, and

also to receive a button subsequently to being brought down upon thearticle, and to hold thebutton, preferably with a yielding pressure,while it is sewed to the article.

t The improvement also consists in the com bination, in a button-sewingmachine, with a support for the article to which buttons are to besewed, of a device adapted to be brought articles to receive and hold abutton, said device being provided with bearings which are capable ofadjustment to enable it to receive buttons ofdifterent sizes, andonc ofwhich may be securelyfixed in position when adjusted. These bearin gspreferably have inclined inner faces to enable them to hold buttons moresecurely;

The improvement also consists .in .the combination, in a button-sewingmachine, with a support for the article to which buttons are to besewed, of a device adapted to be brought down upon thearticle, and toserve asapres'ser, and provided with bearings which are capable ofadjustment to enable the device to receive buttons of different sizes,and one of which is capable of movement to receive and release a button.A spring is preferably employed in connection with the movable bearingfor holding it in a position to retain a button.

The improvement also consists in the combination, in a button-sewingmachine, with a ringplate adapted to receive an article to which abutton is to be sewed, of a device adapted who brought down upon thearticle and to serve as a presser, and also to receive a buttonsubsequently to being brought down upon the article, and to hold thebutton while it is sewed to the article.

of the buttonsto be sewed on articles.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l" is a sectional plan or top viewof a mechanism embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional side viewof the same, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification of thereof.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A designates a needle of the kind ordinarily used in sewing-machines,secured. to a bar, B, which is adapted to have a reciprocating movementtoward and from a stationary bed-plate, G.

D designates a ring-plate or work-;plate,which supports the article towhich the buttons are to be sewed. This ring-plate is secured to adevice which is operated by any suitable mechanism so as to impart tothe work-plate a longitudinal reciprocating movement sufficient to carrythe openings in a button for the passage of the threads alternatelyopposite to the needle A, the ring-plate being shifted in this mannereach time the needle rises. This ring-plate has in it a hole, a, ofsuitable size to accommocertain parts date a button.

E designates a holder for retaining the button in place. It hasextending through it an opening, b, of a size suitable for the'reoeptionIt is connected to a shank, F, which is pivoted to a support, 0, erectedupon the ring-plate D.

G designates a post extending upward from the ring-plate and passingthrough the shank F of the holder E. A spring, H, surrounding this postand bearing against the shank of the 'holder,'impels it upward. To theouter end of the post is pivoted a cam-lever, I. By manipulating thiscam-lever the holder may be de-.

pressed into a position adjacent to the ringplate to clamp an article onwhich buttons are to be sewed between it and the ring-plate, and to holdthe article with a yielding pressure. It therefore constitutes acloth-presser. By shifting this earn-lever reversely it will release theshank and the spring will raise it and the holder. The holder E has aconnection with its shank which is sufficiently loose to enable theholder to adapt itself to the article which it clamps independentlyof'the angle of the shank. As shown, the connection between the holderand its shank consists of screws cl, which pass through holes ofconsiderably larger diameter in the shank and enter the holdersufificiently far to connect the shank to the holder without clamping itthereto. The buttons do not fit snugly in the opening of the holder, butbearings are employed to impinge upon the button and retain it inposition. These bearings may be of any form suitable to enable them tooverlap the button. They may have vertical sides and overlapping lips.In such case the sides will regulate the position of the button byacting on its edges, and-the lips will hold it in place down on thearticle to which it is to be sewed. Preferably, however, these hearingswill have inclined converging faces, as shown. In this example of myimprovement I have shown two of these bearings, J J. The bearing'J hasaslotted shank which bears on the top of the holder, and is secured tothe holder by a screw, 0, passing through the slot of the shank andclamping the shank to the holder. This connection be secured is aboutopposite the center of the provides for adjusting the bearing into andsecuring it in diflerent positions. The other bearing, J, is affixed toa lever, J which at one end is pivoted to the top of the holder and atthe other end extends beyond the holder to form a handle by which it maybe manipulated.

K designates a spring extending from the lever J to the shank of theholder, and serving to retain the bearing J in proper position to act inconjunction with the bearing J, in

order to retain the button inplace after its insert'ion in the openingof the holder. It will be observed that the two bearings also serve tocenter the button within the holder after it is inserted in the openingthereof. While a spring is desirable for retaining the lever in itsnormal position, because it will, whenever the. lever is released, bringthe bearing J back to its normal position, yet the lever may be returnedto its normal position by hand and fastened by a catch of any desiredkind.

The article to which the button is to be sewed is laid on the ring-platein such position that the portion to which the button is to hole of thework-plate. Then the holder is depressed by means of the cam-lever I.Just before the holder reaches the article the latter may be adjusted,it'not previously, in the proper position. Its position with relation tothe opening of the holder may be seen from above the holder through itssaid opening, and this fact is of great advantage, as it aids materiallyin the proper adjustment of the article. When the article is adjustedthe holder is impelled downward upon it, so as to clamp and secure it inplace. The lever J is now manipulated so as to draw the bearing Joutward. Then the button is inserted with its openings in properposition for the needle to pass through them. When it is in place thelever is released and the bearing J is drawn inward. The button is thencentered and held in place by the two bearings. The ring-plate andholder with the button and the article to which it is to be sewed arethen reciprocated transversely to the throw oi the needle, but in unisontherewith, and the sewing is done by stitching alternately through thedifferent openings of the button. When the sewing is completed thethread is cut or broken, the cam-lever is manipulated to release theholder, and the holder thereupon rises above the button and becomesdisengaged therefrom.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a holder which has two movable bearings, J J,carried by two levers, J These levers have handles which are manipulatedto shift the bearings outward. A spring or springs, f, serve to adjustthe bearings inward.

Instead of reciprocating the ring-plate and holder, a needle adapted tomove laterally, so as to alternately enter the different openings in thebutton, may be employed; or two reciprocating needles operating side byside and severally passing through the difierent openings may be used.

I may dispense with the ring-plate and use the bed-plate U of themachine as a support for the button to be sewed in place, providing Iemploy on the under side of the holder serrations or teeth for engagingwith the article to which the button is to be sewed for the purposeofretaining it laterally in place. \Vhen' a ring-plate is employed it maybe forked or bifurcated in lieu of being provided with a hole.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to" secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a button-sewing machine, the combination, with a support for thearticle to which a button is to be sewed, of a device adapted to bebrought down upon the article and to serve as a presser, and also toreceive a button subsequently to being brought down upon the article,and to hold the button while it is sewed to the article, substantiallyas specified.

2. In a button-sewing machine, the combination, with a support for thearticle to which a button isto be sewed, of a device adapted to bebrought down upon the article and to serve as a presser, and also toreceive a button subsequently to being broughtdown upon the article, andto hold the button with a yielding pressure while it is being sewed tothe article, substantially as specified.

3. In a button-sewing machine, the combi nation, with a support for thearticle to which buttons are to be sewed, of a device adapted to bebrought down directly upon the article, so as to serve as a presser, andafter being depressed on the article to receive and hold a button, saiddevice being. provided with bearings which are capable of adjustment toenable it to receive buttons of 'diiferent sizes, and one of which maybe securely fixed in position when adjusted, substantially as specified.

4. In a button-sewing machine, the combination, with a support for thearticle to which buttons are to be sewed, of a device adapted to bebrought down directly upon the article, so as to serve as a presser, andafter being depressed on the article to receive and hold a button, saiddevice being provided with bearings which are capable of adjustment toenable it to receive buttons of difl'erent sizes,

which bearings have inclined inner faces, and one of whichmay besecurely fixed in position when adjusted, substantially as specified;

5. In a button-sewing machine, the combination, with a support for thearticle to which buttons are to he sewed, of a device adapted to bebrought down upon the article and to serve as a presser, and providedwith bearings which are capable of adjustment to enable the device toreceive buttons of different sizes, and one of which is capable ofmovement to receive and release a button, substantially as specified.

6. in a button-sewing machine, the combination, with a support for thearticle to which buttons are to be sewed, of a device adapted 20 to bebrought down upon the article and to serve as a presser, and providedwith bearings which are capable of adjustment to enable the device toreceive buttons of different sizes, and one of which is capable ofmovement to receive and release a button, and a spring applied to themovable bearing to cause it to retain a button, substantially asspecified.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. BOWEN, T. J. KEANE.

